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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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. game — wild animals
  4. mate — a friend
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. game — a match
  7. ground — a position
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bound — certain
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mate — to breed
  14. saw — the tool
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rock — a stone
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. snap — to click
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mate — a partner
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rock — music

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