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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.

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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: suit · row · bound · cell · plane · fall · ball · sharp

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. fall — to drop
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cell — in biology
  9. fall — to drop
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ball — a great time
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. row — a line
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fall — the season
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bound — certain
  23. cell — a phone
  24. sharp — with an edge

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