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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pop — soda
  5. lie — to recline
  6. spring — the season
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. spring — of water
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — to eat
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. toast — bread
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pop — music
  23. kid — child
  24. pop — to visit

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