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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bound — certain
  3. cue — for pool
  4. content — happy
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bound — obliged
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bound — tied together
  11. firm — decided
  12. wind — moving air
  13. branch — a division
  14. suit — in cards
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — clothes
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cue — a signal
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. firm — steady
  23. content — the amount
  24. wind — to turn a key

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