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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. band — a music group
  6. ball — a dance
  7. band — a ring
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rock — music
  10. firm — a company
  11. bound — certain
  12. fine — high quality
  13. firm — steady
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ball — a great time
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. firm — decided
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mine — for digging
  23. fine — all right
  24. calf — of the leg

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