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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. game — a match
  5. mug — a cup
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stock — goods
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mug — a face
  17. game — wild animals
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mug — to rob
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. mine — for digging
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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