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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. scale — in music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cue — for pool
  8. current — electric
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. hand — help
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cue — a signal
  17. face — part of the head
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. scale — size or range
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bound — obliged

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