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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bound — certain
  4. present — a gift
  5. rest — a break
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. suit — clothes
  8. present — the time now
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bound — tied together
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. cap — a hat
  18. hand — help
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bound — obliged
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cap — of ice
  24. present — there

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