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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bound — tied together
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — to breed
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. field — for sport
  9. ground — a position
  10. field — farmland
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mark — a trace
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. field — a subject
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ruler — for measuring

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