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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bound — tied together
  3. tear — to rip
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. tear — from crying
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. stand — to bear
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. net — after costs
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — for catching
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mate — a friend
  24. tear — from crying

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