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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rash — a series
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rush — hurry
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bound — tied together

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