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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cell — a phone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. court — of a king
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. court — of law
  12. bound — certain
  13. lean — to bend
  14. cell — in biology
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. lean — thin
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rock — music
  22. toast — bread
  23. court — for sport
  24. toast — the most admired

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