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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bound — obliged
  6. object — an aim
  7. mark — a grade
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. court — of a king
  13. object — to protest
  14. bound — certain
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. object — a thing
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. court — of law

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