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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. file — a document
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bear — the animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bound — tied together
  20. object — to protest
  21. bound — obliged
  22. file — a line of people
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bound — certain

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