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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pop — music
  5. rule — a law
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. rock — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rule — government
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wake — a trail

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