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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. degree — from a university
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bound — tied together
  9. degree — temperature
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. degree — an amount
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. fine — all right
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bound — obliged
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fine — high quality
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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