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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. roll — a list
  4. rest — a break
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — decided
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bound — certain
  17. date — the fruit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — a company
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. firm — steady

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