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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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. spell — magic
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mate — to breed
  5. spell — a short time
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bound — obliged
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — a price
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. mate — a friend
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bound — certain
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. charge — in control
  20. spell — letters
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. net — for catching
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mate — a partner

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