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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 124 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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bound — certain
  8. rule — a law
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. drill — army training
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — a trace
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rule — government
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  24. sharp — with an edge

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