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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. charge — electricity
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wind — moving air
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cue — a signal
  14. charge — in control
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bound — tied together
  17. charge — a price
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cue — a hint
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stem — to come from
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stem — of a plant

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