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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 116 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. chair — a leader
  7. lie — to recline
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. current — electric
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. board — to get on
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bound — certain
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. board — a committee
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. racket — for tennis

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