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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bound — certain
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. staff — employees
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. march — the month
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. staff — employees
  10. bound — tied together
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. foot — a measure
  16. march — the month
  17. staff — a stick
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. march — music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bound — obliged

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