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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. object — a thing
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bound — tied together
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. object — to protest
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bound — certain
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. object — an aim
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive

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