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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — obliged
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. cold — an illness
  19. bound — certain
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. cold — not warm
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lie — to recline

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