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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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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: ruler · suit · present · lash · firm · snap · race · bound

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. firm — decided
  5. bound — obliged
  6. present — a gift
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — steady
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to click
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. race — a contest
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. firm — a company

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