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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 120 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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. game — wild animals
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. board — to get on
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. game — a match
  8. board — a committee
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bound — obliged
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bound — tied together
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. branch — a division

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