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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rest — a break
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bound — tied together
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mug — a face
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. season — of the year
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. game — wild animals
  19. season — in sport
  20. rest — what's left
  21. game — a match
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mug — a cup

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