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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 120 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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ground — a position
  3. club — for golf
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ground — crushed
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rest — a break
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bound — certain
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. club — a group
  18. rest — what's left
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — a series
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. face — to confront

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