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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. bound — certain
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rash — hasty
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rest — a break
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — a series
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bass — the fish

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