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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bound — certain
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. last — finally
  10. pass — a permit
  11. race — a contest
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. last — to go on
  14. suit — in cards
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bear — the animal
  20. last — final
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. race — humankind
  24. hide — to keep secret

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