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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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 — obliged
  2. wound — an injury
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. firm — steady
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bound — tied together
  9. lie — to recline
  10. staff — employees
  11. bear — the animal
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. staff — a stick
  15. degree — an amount
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — certain
  18. staff — employees
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — a company
  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