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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · spell · lash · pass · pitch · coach · bound · bore

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bound — certain
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. spell — magic
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spell — letters
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pass — a permit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hand — help
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com