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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. firm — steady
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. court — of a king
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. court — for sport
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. kid — to tease
  14. firm — a company
  15. bulb — for light
  16. court — of law
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bound — obliged
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. lie — to recline
  22. kid — child
  23. bulb — for light
  24. firm — decided

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