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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. file — a document
  7. bass — low music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. snap — to click
  10. file — a line of people
  11. cue — a hint
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. season — in sport
  14. cue — a signal
  15. season — of the year
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bound — certain
  19. cue — for pool
  20. file — a tool
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bound — obliged
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bass — the instrument

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