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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. track — to keep track
  7. club — for dancing
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. ground — a position
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. club — a group
  13. bound — tied together
  14. ground — the earth
  15. track — a song
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. club — for golf
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bound — obliged
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. track — a path
  24. arm — a part of something

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