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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fork — in a road
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. staff — employees
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bound — tied together
  8. face — to confront
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bound — obliged
  21. face — to point toward
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. face — part of the head

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