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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 116 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bat — the animal
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. march — music
  8. bound — tied together
  9. club — for dancing
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. march — the month
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. club — for golf
  17. march — the month
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. club — a group

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