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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. land — to come down
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. date — the fruit
  11. scale — in music
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. land — a country
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. land — ground
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bound — tied together
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — the season
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. spring — a coil
  24. mark — to pay attention

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