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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mug — a face
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mug — a cup
  9. prune — to trim
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mug — to rob
  13. suit — clothes
  14. prune — to trim
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song

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