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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bass — low music
  4. current — happening now
  5. bound — obliged
  6. suit — to fit
  7. current — electric
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. suit — in cards
  17. board — a committee
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. current — of water
  21. pound — a weight
  22. board — to get on
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — tied together

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