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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. march — the month
  3. bound — tied together
  4. march — the month
  5. rest — a break
  6. degree — an amount
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bound — certain
  10. march — music
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bound — obliged
  13. tube — a container
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. suit — in cards
  18. degree — from a university
  19. suit — to fit
  20. tube — the underground
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rest — what's left

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