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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rest — a break
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bound — certain
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bound — obliged
  10. spring — the season
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. lie — an untruth

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