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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. kick — in football
  3. track — to keep track
  4. spell — a short time
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. track — a path
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. track — a song
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. toast — bread
  12. bound — certain
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. tube — a container
  16. spell — letters
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bound — tied together
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. squash — to crush
  23. spell — magic
  24. tube — the underground

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