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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bank — for money
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. chair — a leader
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bank — for money
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bound — obliged
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bound — tied together
  14. drill — army training
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wind — moving air
  21. drill — a practice
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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