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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. current — electric
  3. season — in sport
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. current — of water
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — to handle
  9. current — happening now
  10. rule — a law
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. bound — obliged
  15. drill — a practice
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. drill — army training
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. deal — a big deal

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