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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — to fit
  5. land — ground
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bound — obliged
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wound — an injury
  14. drill — the tool
  15. land — to come down
  16. drill — army training
  17. land — a country
  18. bound — certain
  19. mug — a face
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bound — tied together
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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