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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cell — in biology
  7. current — happening now
  8. rest — what's left
  9. current — of water
  10. rest — a break
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cell — a phone
  13. saw — the tool
  14. capital — a city
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. saw — the tool
  17. capital — money
  18. rest — what's left
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. current — electric
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bound — certain

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