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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stem — to come from
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bound — certain

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