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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: club · rock · bound · pitcher · roll · suit · bore · wave

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rock — music
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. club — a group
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — to fit
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — a list
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bound — obliged
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bound — tied together

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