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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. track — a song
  5. track — to keep track
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. present — there
  9. rule — government
  10. track — a path
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. field — a subject
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. present — the time now
  15. bound — certain
  16. bore — to drill
  17. present — a gift
  18. bound — tied together
  19. field — farmland
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bound — obliged
  23. field — for sport
  24. firm — steady

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