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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ground — a position
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. ground — the earth
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bound — certain
  15. pop — music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pop — soda
  24. date — the fruit

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