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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bound — certain
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. band — a music group
  8. race — the arms race
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. race — a contest
  13. band — a ring
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. race — humankind
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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