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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. staff — a stick
  3. track — a path
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. current — electric
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. spell — letters
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bound — tied together
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. staff — employees
  14. spell — magic
  15. track — a song
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mug — to rob
  19. current — happening now
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. staff — employees
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. current — of water
  24. chair — a professorship

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