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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. fine — all right
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fork — in a road
  11. object — a thing
  12. fine — high quality
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. object — an aim
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pit — a hole
  17. scale — in music
  18. bound — certain
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. club — a group
  23. object — to protest
  24. club — for golf

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