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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 120 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bound — certain
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bound — tied together
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bank — of a river
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bank — for money

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