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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rock — music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — a company
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rest — a break
  10. firm — steady
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rock — a stone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — a song
  18. firm — decided
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bound — certain
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. track — a path

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