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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mug — a face
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bound — certain
  12. mug — a cup
  13. drill — a practice
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rock — music
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. drill — army training
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pass — a permit

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