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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. firm — steady
  5. drill — a practice
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. drill — the tool
  9. firm — decided
  10. rule — government
  11. cap — a hat
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mug — a face
  16. cap — a lid
  17. firm — a company
  18. mug — to rob
  19. drill — army training
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. board — a flat piece

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