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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bound — tied together
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stock — goods
  11. pass — a permit
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. scale — in music
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. scale — for weighing

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