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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. game — a match
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pop — music
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pop — to visit
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. plane — a tool
  15. lean — thin
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pop — soda
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. plane — in geometry
  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