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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. march — music
  3. face — part of the head
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. march — the month
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mark — a grade
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. face — to confront
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. march — the month
  16. mark — a trace
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — certain
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bound — obliged
  23. face — to point toward
  24. squash — the vegetable

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