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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bound — obliged
  4. land — ground
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — a country
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spell — letters
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pitch — completely
  15. spell — magic
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bound — certain
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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