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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bound — certain
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. present — the time now
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bound — obliged
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. content — happy
  20. present — there
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. present — a gift
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. content — the amount

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