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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. chair — a leader
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fall — the season
  16. content — the amount
  17. fall — to drop
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fall — to drop
  22. content — happy
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. deal — an agreement

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