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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
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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: firm · press · tube · spell · bound · suit · pitcher · wake

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bound — obliged
  5. spell — magic
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bound — certain
  8. suit — clothes
  9. firm — a company
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — to push
  14. firm — steady
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — to fit
  18. tube — the underground
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. firm — decided
  23. press — newspapers
  24. spell — letters

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