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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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468
Word bank
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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. toast — bread
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a dance
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cap — of ice
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bound — tied together
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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