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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. prune — to trim
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pass — a permit
  7. current — happening now
  8. toast — bread
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stock — shares
  12. bound — obliged
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. stock — goods
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. current — of water
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. current — electric
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pass — to succeed

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