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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · bound · coach · fork · rest · stick · sharp · pitcher

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. squash — to crush
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. squash — the sport
  9. rest — a break
  10. bound — tied together
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bound — certain
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — what's left

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