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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. land — ground
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. present — the time now
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — letters
  8. land — a country
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. present — there
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — certain
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. present — a gift
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bound — obliged
  23. land — to come down
  24. leaves — lets stay

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