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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. pop — soda
  8. fine — all right
  9. capital — a city
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. current — happening now
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rash — a series
  17. capital — money
  18. bound — certain
  19. pop — music
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pass — to spend time

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