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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bound — certain
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bore — to tire
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. game — a match
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. deal — to handle
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. saw — the tool
  22. game — wild animals
  23. saw — the tool
  24. deal — a big deal

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