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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bound — certain
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. tube — a container
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wind — moving air
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wind — moving air
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. stand — on your feet

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