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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bound — certain
  7. march — the month
  8. rest — a break
  9. shower — rain
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. march — music
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bark — to shout
  16. march — the month
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. can — a tin
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. bound — obliged

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