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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: bound · rush · suit · chair · bore · cap · straw · arm

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. cap — a lid
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bound — certain
  9. cap — of ice
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bound — obliged
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bore — to tire
  15. suit — in cards
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bore — to drill
  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