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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 116 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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bound — obliged
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bound — certain
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rash — a series
  14. spring — the season
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. spring — of water
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stand — to bear
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. saw — the tool

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