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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. field — farmland
  7. bound — certain
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. field — for sport
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. field — a subject
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pass — to spend time

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