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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. current — electric
  3. fine — high quality
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — the sport
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. current — happening now
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — the time now
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. present — there
  16. fine — all right
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. present — a gift
  22. squash — to crush
  23. current — of water
  24. fine — a penalty

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