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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — government
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. hand — help
  8. bound — tied together
  9. object — an aim
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. court — of a king
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mug — a face
  14. lean — thin
  15. object — to protest
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pass — a permit
  20. court — for sport
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. object — a thing
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mug — to rob

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