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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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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. current — electric
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fork — in a road
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bound — tied together
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stand — for spectators

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