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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. deal — to handle
  3. spring — a coil
  4. staff — employees
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. last — final
  8. bound — obliged
  9. last — finally
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. spring — of water
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spring — the season
  14. last — to go on
  15. staff — a stick
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. bound — tied together
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — the fish
  24. wake — before a funeral

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