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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 124 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cold — not warm
  3. bound — certain
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. suit — in cards
  6. current — of water
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — clothes
  10. track — a song
  11. bound — obliged
  12. current — happening now
  13. firm — a company
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. bound — tied together
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. cold — an illness
  21. current — electric
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bowl — a dish

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