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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. roll — a list
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bound — certain
  5. saw — the tool
  6. roll — a cake
  7. race — humankind
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. saw — the tool
  12. race — a contest
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. toast — bread
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bound — obliged
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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