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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. drill — army training
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rule — government
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. rule — a law
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bank — of a river
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. spell — a short time
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bank — for money
  24. drill — the tool

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