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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bound — certain
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — to handle
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. spring — the season
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. spring — of water

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