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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fine — all right
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — tied together
  16. chest — a box
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chest — of your body
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bound — certain
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. fine — high quality

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