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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. race — the arms race
  3. suit — to fit
  4. race — a contest
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. firm — a company
  10. race — humankind
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — tied together
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fork — in a road
  21. firm — decided
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. firm — steady

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