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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bound — certain
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bound — obliged
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. hand — in cards
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. present — a gift
  9. bound — tied together
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — there
  14. wake — a trail
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. present — the time now
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hand — help
  22. kick — in football
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. hand — part of the body

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