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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kid — child
  4. game — wild animals
  5. present — the time now
  6. bound — obliged
  7. present — there
  8. board — to get on
  9. game — a match
  10. rest — a break
  11. board — a committee
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bound — tied together
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. present — a gift
  17. kid — to tease
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. suit — to fit
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. suit — in cards
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rest — what's left

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