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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bound — tied together
  9. ground — the earth
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ground — a position
  12. court — for sport
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ground — crushed
  15. rush — hurry
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. rock — music
  18. court — of law
  19. rock — a stone
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bound — obliged
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. court — of a king

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