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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ground — the earth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. track — a song
  5. bound — certain
  6. ground — a position
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. current — electric
  9. key — in music
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. current — of water
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. track — to keep track
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bound — tied together
  16. key — the most important part
  17. track — a path
  18. wake — a trail
  19. stand — to bear
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. current — happening now
  23. ground — crushed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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