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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bound — obliged
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bound — tied together
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. craft — boats
  15. bound — certain
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. face — to point toward
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wave — with your hand

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