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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. current — happening now
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. board — a committee
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. board — to get on
  7. pop — soda
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pop — music
  11. bound — certain
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — a gift
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. present — the time now
  20. bound — tied together
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. present — there
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pop — to visit

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