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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bound — certain
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — bread
  10. cell — in biology
  11. ball — a dance
  12. foot — a measure
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. ball — a great time
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. cell — a phone

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