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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. dip — to sink
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bound — certain
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. game — a match
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mate — a friend
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. present — a gift
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. present — there
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. present — the time now
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mate — a partner

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