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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. can — a tin
  4. fork — in a road
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — in music
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bound — tied together
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bound — certain
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. capital — a city
  21. lie — to recline
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — money
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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