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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. present — there
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. present — the time now
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. land — to come down
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bound — certain
  16. land — ground
  17. present — a gift
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. land — a country
  20. date — the fruit
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bound — tied together

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