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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. face — to confront
  3. bound — certain
  4. hand — help
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. face — part of the head
  7. charge — electricity
  8. firm — steady
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rush — hurry
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. charge — in control
  16. firm — decided
  17. charge — a price
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — a company
  20. saw — the tool
  21. face — to point toward
  22. ball — a dance
  23. hand — in cards
  24. saw — the tool

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