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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bound — obliged
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. firm — decided
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — of law
  12. court — of a king
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. date — the fruit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. court — for sport
  22. firm — a company
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. firm — steady

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