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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 120 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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bound — tied together
  4. firm — a company
  5. bound — obliged
  6. kid — child
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. band — a ring
  14. firm — steady
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. kid — to tease
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. firm — decided
  24. arm — part of the body

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