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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bound — obliged
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. object — to protest
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bound — tied together
  8. track — a song
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. present — the time now
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. game — wild animals
  15. tube — the underground
  16. track — a path
  17. kick — in football
  18. game — a match
  19. tube — a container
  20. present — there
  21. object — a thing
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. present — a gift
  24. bound — certain

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