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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pop — music
  6. bound — certain
  7. saw — the tool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. saw — the tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tear — from crying
  12. foot — a measure
  13. roll — a cake
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. current — electric
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. tear — to rip
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pop — to visit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pop — soda
  22. current — happening now
  23. tear — from crying
  24. current — of water

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