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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. object — a thing
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. object — an aim
  13. bound — tied together
  14. race — a contest
  15. bound — obliged
  16. rock — music
  17. stock — goods
  18. rock — a stone
  19. object — to protest
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. race — humankind
  23. stock — shares
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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