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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. bound — certain
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bound — obliged
  6. object — to protest
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. spell — letters
  10. rush — hurry
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. firm — decided
  15. object — a thing
  16. firm — a company
  17. current — of water
  18. firm — steady
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. object — an aim
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. arm — part of the body
  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