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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. scale — in music
  4. firm — steady
  5. scale — size or range
  6. present — there
  7. bound — obliged
  8. present — the time now
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. present — a gift
  13. firm — decided
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. firm — a company
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. roll — a list
  23. wake — a trail
  24. scale — for weighing

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