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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rush — hurry
  5. game — a match
  6. bound — certain
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stock — shares
  13. game — wild animals
  14. stock — goods
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rush — a thrill

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