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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 116 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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 — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. wind — moving air
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — low music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. stand — on your feet
  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