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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bound — obliged
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mine — for digging
  6. tube — a container
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mug — a cup
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bound — certain
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. craft — boats
  18. rest — what's left
  19. craft — a skill
  20. tube — the underground
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mug — a face
  23. rest — a break
  24. calf — of the leg

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