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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bound — obliged
  5. firm — decided
  6. current — happening now
  7. mate — a partner
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. firm — steady
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bass — low music
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. firm — a company
  22. current — of water
  23. current — electric
  24. bore — to tire

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