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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — after costs
  9. roll — a list
  10. mine — for digging
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. firm — a company
  16. bound — obliged
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of law
  19. firm — decided
  20. toast — bread
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. court — of a king
  24. firm — steady

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