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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. track — a path
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mark — a grade
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mark — a trace
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. saw — the tool

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