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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. tube — a container
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — a friend
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bound — tied together
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bound — obliged

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