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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. shower — rain
  6. object — a thing
  7. staff — employees
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. object — an aim
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pass — a permit
  21. object — to protest
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bound — certain

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