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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stock — shares
  6. bound — certain
  7. snap — to click
  8. firm — steady
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. face — to confront
  14. pass — a permit
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. firm — a company
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. firm — decided
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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