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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. spell — magic
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. roll — a list
  5. bound — certain
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. roll — a cake
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spell — letters
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bear — the animal

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