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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. mate — to breed
  5. band — a ring
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. band — a music group
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bound — obliged
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. prune — to trim
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. suit — clothes
  17. board — a committee
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. prune — to trim
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. kick — in football
  24. suit — in cards

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