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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bound — obliged
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. last — to go on
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rule — government
  8. firm — steady
  9. last — final
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. last — finally
  13. face — to confront
  14. firm — decided
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rule — a law
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bound — certain
  20. firm — a company
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mark — a trace
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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