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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. scale — size or range
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bound — obliged
  9. root — of a word
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. spell — magic
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bound — tied together
  19. spell — letters
  20. chair — a leader
  21. scale — in music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. root — the cause
  24. ball — a great time

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