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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. firm — a company
  4. fine — all right
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. lean — thin
  7. bound — obliged
  8. face — to confront
  9. rule — a law
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rule — government
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. fine — high quality
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lean — to bend
  19. face — to point toward
  20. firm — decided
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. firm — steady
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fine — a penalty

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