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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bound — obliged
  6. cell — a phone
  7. tear — from crying
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. drill — a practice
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. saw — the tool
  17. land — ground
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bound — tied together
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. tear — from crying
  22. saw — the tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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