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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. branch — a division
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. key — the most important part
  9. land — ground
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. land — to come down
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stem — to come from
  21. land — a country
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. rash — a series

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