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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rock — music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. tube — a container
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tube — the underground

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