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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 116 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. kick — in football
  3. rule — government
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bound — certain
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rule — a law
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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