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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bass — the fish
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. firm — decided
  7. board — to get on
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. board — a committee
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — a gift
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bore — to tire
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bass — low music
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bore — to drill
  22. present — there
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ball — a great time

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