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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — final
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bound — certain
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. last — to go on
  10. board — a committee
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — obliged
  16. craft — boats
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bore — to drill
  19. board — to get on
  20. craft — a skill
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bore — to tire
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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