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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. march — the month
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. spell — magic
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spell — letters
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. saw — the tool
  10. last — final
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — tied together
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. march — music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bound — certain
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spell — a short time
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. march — the month

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