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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. can — a tin
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. can — a tin
  5. saw — the tool
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bear — the animal
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bound — certain
  13. can — to be able to
  14. suit — to fit
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chair — a leader
  24. plane — a tool

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