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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. present — the time now
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. present — there
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — certain
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mine — for digging
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. present — a gift
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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