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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pitch — completely
  8. kid — child
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pit — a hole
  13. club — for golf
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pit — in a race
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bound — certain
  20. pass — a permit
  21. club — a group
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. club — for dancing
  24. pitch — a sports field

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