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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. can — to be able to
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. last — final
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mine — for digging
  14. staff — employees
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. last — finally
  17. staff — employees
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. last — to go on
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rock — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. staff — a stick
  24. racket — for tennis

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