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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cap — a lid
  3. kick — in football
  4. season — in sport
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. firm — decided
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. firm — a company
  10. bound — certain
  11. court — of law
  12. firm — steady
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fine — all right
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cap — of ice
  19. court — of a king
  20. cap — a hat
  21. season — of the year
  22. fine — high quality
  23. court — for sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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