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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — of a river
  3. row — a line
  4. bank — for money
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. kid — child
  9. ground — a position
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bear — the animal
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rule — a law
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rule — government
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ground — the earth

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