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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. game — wild animals
  3. fine — high quality
  4. game — a match
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bound — certain
  7. fine — all right
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — to fit
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lie — to recline
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bound — obliged

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