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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bound — tied together
  12. charge — a price
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bound — obliged
  16. charge — in control
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — bread
  19. face — to point toward
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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