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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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ground — the earth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bound — obliged
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. land — to come down
  11. object — an aim
  12. land — ground
  13. mug — a face
  14. ground — crushed
  15. land — a country
  16. object — to protest
  17. shower — rain
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a cup
  20. object — a thing
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bass — low music
  24. ground — a position

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