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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wake — a trail
  3. fork — in a road
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. current — happening now
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bound — certain
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mate — a friend
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. current — electric
  18. season — of the year
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bat — the animal
  22. current — of water
  23. bound — tied together
  24. season — in sport

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