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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. wound — an injury
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. can — a tin
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bound — obliged
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. club — for golf
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. perch — the fish
  12. can — to be able to
  13. club — a group
  14. chair — a leader
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bound — tied together
  17. spring — a coil
  18. club — for dancing
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chair — a professorship

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