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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cap — a hat
  3. club — a group
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bound — certain
  7. cap — of ice
  8. chip — to eat
  9. lean — thin
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. club — for golf
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bound — tied together
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. season — of the year
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. toast — bread
  22. lean — to bend
  23. chip — for betting
  24. cap — a lid

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