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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bound — tied together
  4. firm — a company
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to tire
  7. season — of the year
  8. rest — what's left
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bore — to drill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. roll — a cake
  16. scale — in music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bound — certain
  20. rest — a break
  21. season — in sport
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. scale — size or range
  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