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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bound — tied together
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. current — happening now
  8. game — a match
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pound — a weight
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — a break
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric

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