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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. field — a subject
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. staff — employees
  6. spell — letters
  7. staff — a stick
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. field — farmland
  11. suit — in cards
  12. field — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bound — tied together
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. staff — employees
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bound — certain
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. perch — the fish

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