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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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. plane — an aircraft
  4. club — a group
  5. plane — a tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. club — for golf
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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