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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  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. bound — certain
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bass — low music
  13. rule — a law
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rule — government
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bass — the instrument
  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