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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. object — to protest
  5. bound — certain
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. object — a thing
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — all right
  13. object — an aim
  14. cue — a hint
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cue — for pool
  22. file — a tool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lie — to recline

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