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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rest — a break
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. game — a match
  6. pound — a weight
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rest — what's left
  9. game — wild animals
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mark — a grade
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bank — for money
  15. bound — obliged
  16. ball — a great time
  17. roll — a list
  18. bank — of a river
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bank — for money
  23. roll — a cake
  24. mark — to pay attention

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