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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mug — a face
  4. rule — government
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bound — obliged
  7. field — for sport
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rule — a law
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. board — a committee
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. tube — a container
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. field — farmland
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mug — to rob
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. field — a subject
  22. stem — to come from
  23. tube — the underground
  24. board — to get on

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