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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. tube — a container
  5. ground — a position
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cell — in biology
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bass — low music
  15. ground — the earth
  16. key — in music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bound — obliged
  19. cell — a phone
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bass — the fish
  23. key — for a lock
  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