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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bound — certain
  3. rash — a series
  4. object — to protest
  5. suit — to fit
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — in cards
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. plane — a tool
  13. object — a thing
  14. rash — hasty
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bound — obliged
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. hand — help
  22. object — an aim
  23. bound — tied together
  24. hand — part of the body

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