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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. present — there
  4. rock — music
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. root — of a word
  10. rock — a stone
  11. degree — from a university
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — electricity
  14. root — the cause
  15. degree — an amount
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. charge — a price
  20. present — the time now
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. present — a gift
  23. charge — in control
  24. degree — temperature

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