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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ground — a position
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. can — a tin
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pop — music
  8. bound — certain
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. can — a tin
  11. pop — soda
  12. ground — crushed
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bat — the animal
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lean — thin
  21. ground — the earth
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bound — tied together
  24. lean — to bend

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