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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. can — a tin
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. track — a path
  5. ball — a dance
  6. object — to protest
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. can — a tin
  9. object — an aim
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wound — an injury
  15. track — a song
  16. bound — obliged
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bound — certain
  22. object — a thing
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wound — an injury

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