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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · stick · can · cabinet · spring · season · bound · current

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. drill — army training
  3. spring — of water
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bound — obliged
  6. current — of water
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. season — in sport
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. drill — a practice
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. season — of the year
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. drill — the tool

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