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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. row — a line
  3. race — a contest
  4. bound — tied together
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. staff — employees
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mug — a cup
  10. charge — in control
  11. race — humankind
  12. charge — a price
  13. staff — employees
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mug — to rob
  16. craft — boats
  17. row — to paddle
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bound — certain
  20. charge — electricity
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mug — a face

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