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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 116 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mine — for digging
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cue — a signal
  10. spell — letters
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cue — for pool
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rock — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bound — obliged
  22. spell — magic
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mine — belonging to me

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