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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. face — to confront
  3. bound — certain
  4. object — to protest
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. object — an aim
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mate — to breed
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. hand — help
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mark — a trace
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mate — a friend
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mate — a partner
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mark — a grade
  23. game — a match
  24. object — a thing

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