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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bound — obliged
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — music
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. tube — a container
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bound — certain
  24. leaves — of a tree

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