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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 120 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. band — a music group
  3. bound — obliged
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bulb — for light
  8. current — happening now
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. current — electric
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. track — a song
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a leader
  17. band — a ring
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. current — of water
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. track — a path
  23. bound — tied together
  24. temple — side of the head

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