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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. race — the arms race
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. capital — money
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — to tease
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. race — a contest
  17. kid — child
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. scale — size or range
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. race — humankind
  22. capital — a city
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bound — obliged

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