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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bound — certain
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bound — obliged
  8. land — a country
  9. ball — a great time
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ball — a dance
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bound — tied together
  18. squash — to crush
  19. land — ground
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bore — to tire
  23. land — to come down
  24. temple — a place of worship

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