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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. track — a path
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bound — obliged
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. kick — in football
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. craft — a skill
  17. track — a song
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. game — a match
  20. craft — boats
  21. toast — bread
  22. game — wild animals
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bound — tied together

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