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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. snap — to click
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. season — in sport
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rush — hurry
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. season — of the year
  17. dip — to sink
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fork — in a road

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