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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bear — the animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. firm — a company
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rest — a break
  15. bound — tied together
  16. firm — steady
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — decided

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