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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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 — obliged
  3. file — a line of people
  4. scale — size or range
  5. saw — the tool
  6. field — for sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. bound — certain
  9. field — a subject
  10. scale — in music
  11. staff — a stick
  12. file — a document
  13. charge — in control
  14. file — a tool
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. field — farmland
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. staff — employees
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. scale — for weighing
  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