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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. club — a group
  6. track — a path
  7. lie — to recline
  8. track — a song
  9. drill — the tool
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rash — hasty
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rash — a series
  14. drill — army training
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. club — for golf
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bank — of a river
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. drill — a practice

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