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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bound — obliged
  6. current — electric
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. march — music
  12. bound — certain
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. current — happening now
  16. mark — a trace
  17. march — the month
  18. suit — to fit
  19. march — the month
  20. sharp — clever
  21. chair — a leader
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. current — of water
  24. suit — in cards

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