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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. chair — a leader
  3. season — in sport
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mug — a cup
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. season — of the year
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bank — for money
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mug — a face
  18. lie — an untruth

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