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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bound — obliged
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. current — happening now
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bound — certain
  7. rash — a series
  8. stand — to bear
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. current — electric
  12. bound — tied together
  13. rash — hasty
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. chip — for betting
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. chip — to eat
  20. current — of water
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. lean — thin

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