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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: face · lash · suit · bound · fine · mate · chest · march

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mate — a partner
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mate — a friend
  7. march — the month
  8. fine — all right
  9. chest — a box
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bound — tied together
  15. face — to confront
  16. chest — of your body
  17. march — music
  18. fine — high quality
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. march — the month
  23. face — part of the head
  24. suit — clothes

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