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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. march — music
  3. current — happening now
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bank — for money
  7. cap — of ice
  8. march — the month
  9. drill — the tool
  10. current — electric
  11. staff — employees
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — a friend
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cap — a hat
  17. march — the month
  18. bank — of a river
  19. current — of water
  20. drill — a practice
  21. staff — employees
  22. bound — tied together
  23. drill — army training
  24. bound — certain

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