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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. charge — a price
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rest — a break
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. race — a contest
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. race — humankind
  17. march — music
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. march — the month
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. march — the month
  24. fork — to eat with

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