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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · kid · squash · jam · bound · fine · chair · face

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. kid — to tease
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. fine — all right
  10. bound — certain
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. face — to point toward
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. face — to confront
  17. bound — tied together
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bound — obliged
  20. kid — child
  21. face — part of the head
  22. squash — to crush
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. squash — the sport

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