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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. tube — a container
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. capital — money
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rule — government
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. tube — the underground
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bound — certain
  23. rule — a law
  24. capital — a city

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