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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cell — a phone
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bound — certain
  8. ground — a position
  9. can — a tin
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ground — crushed
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. drill — a practice
  20. ground — the earth
  21. drill — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — letters
  24. drill — army training

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