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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bound — certain
  8. track — to keep track
  9. lean — thin
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bound — tied together
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. ruler — for measuring

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