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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rule — a law
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rock — music
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ball — a dance

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