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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · racket · wake · current · pound · bound · roll · lash

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. current — electric
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. current — of water
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. current — happening now
  11. pound — a weight
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wake — a trail
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. roll — a list
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. roll — a cake
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bound — certain
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pound — to hit hard

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