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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. shower — rain
  10. dip — to sink
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. pop — soda
  15. current — of water
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. current — electric
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. stand — to bear
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bound — tied together

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