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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bound — certain
  6. branch — a division
  7. bound — tied together
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bound — obliged
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. ruler — for measuring

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