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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bound — obliged
  3. shower — rain
  4. firm — steady
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. firm — decided
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. suit — to fit
  13. board — to get on
  14. wound — an injury
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. firm — a company
  18. spring — the season
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bound — certain
  23. board — a committee
  24. bound — tied together

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