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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. current — happening now
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. current — electric
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. current — of water
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. roll — a cake
  19. scale — in music
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. roll — a list

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