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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. march — the month
  3. net — after costs
  4. march — the month
  5. bound — obliged
  6. march — music
  7. ground — crushed
  8. plane — a tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ground — the earth
  11. suit — clothes
  12. saw — the tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bound — certain
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. suit — to fit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. saw — the tool
  21. net — for catching
  22. ground — a position
  23. net — in sport
  24. plane — an aircraft

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