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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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bound — obliged
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bound — certain
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fall — to drop
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. scale — in music
  11. fall — the season
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bass — the fish
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bass — low music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bound — tied together
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pound — for dogs

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