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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rock — music
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bound — obliged
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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