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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: rash · object · spell · bound · lean · bear · track · can

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bound — obliged
  3. track — a song
  4. rash — a series
  5. track — a path
  6. can — a tin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. spell — magic
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. object — a thing
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bound — tied together
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lean — thin
  19. object — an aim
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bound — certain

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