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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mug — a face
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stock — goods
  15. firm — decided
  16. mug — a cup
  17. ball — a dance
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. firm — a company
  21. bound — tied together
  22. firm — steady
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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