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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ground — crushed
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bound — certain
  6. ground — a position
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rule — government
  12. season — of the year
  13. can — a tin
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rule — a law
  17. ground — the earth
  18. scale — size or range
  19. saw — the tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rule — to rule out

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