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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rock — a stone
  7. deal — to handle
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. lean — thin
  11. bound — certain
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rock — music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bound — tied together
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lean — to rest against

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