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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bound — obliged
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. object — to protest
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — all right
  19. object — a thing
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. object — an aim
  22. bound — certain
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fine — high quality

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