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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rule — a law
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pop — music
  7. rule — government
  8. hand — in cards
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pass — a permit
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bound — obliged
  14. hand — help
  15. pop — soda
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bound — certain
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. bowl — a dish

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