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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stock — goods
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. staff — employees
  10. branch — a division
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bound — obliged
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. staff — employees
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. roll — a cake
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bound — tied together
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stock — shares
  24. ball — a great time

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