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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. firm — steady
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bound — obliged
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. board — to get on
  21. bear — the animal
  22. row — to paddle
  23. sharp — clever
  24. row — a line

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