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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. capital — a city
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. face — to point toward
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bound — obliged
  9. face — part of the head
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. snap — to click
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bound — tied together
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — money
  23. face — to confront
  24. nail — on a finger

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