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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. roll — a list
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bear — the animal
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cell — in biology
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bound — tied together
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cell — a phone
  23. face — to confront
  24. roll — a cake

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