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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bound — certain
  3. suit — in cards
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fine — all right
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. firm — steady
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. track — a song
  13. firm — a company
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. suit — clothes
  16. present — the time now
  17. fine — high quality
  18. suit — to fit
  19. firm — decided
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wake — a trail
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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