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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.

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: last · object · degree · spell · racket · cabinet · bound · toast

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. last — to go on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. degree — an amount
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. degree — from a university
  11. last — finally
  12. bound — obliged
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — bread
  15. spell — letters
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. degree — temperature
  18. object — to protest
  19. last — final
  20. object — an aim
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bound — tied together
  24. object — a thing

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