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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. scale — size or range
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mug — a face
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. last — to go on
  10. mug — to rob
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. season — of the year
  13. bound — certain
  14. season — in sport
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bound — tied together
  17. scale — in music
  18. deal — to handle
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. firm — a company

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