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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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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: content · lie · march · object · cabinet · bound · foot · mug

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mug — a cup
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. march — the month
  8. lie — to recline
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. object — an aim
  11. march — music
  12. bound — tied together
  13. march — the month
  14. mug — to rob
  15. content — happy
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. object — a thing
  18. bound — certain
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. content — the amount
  22. object — to protest
  23. mug — a face
  24. foot — the bottom

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