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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bound — tied together
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bound — certain
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chair — a leader
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. kid — to tease
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. board — to get on
  24. kid — child

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