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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bound — tied together
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lie — to recline
  6. date — the fruit
  7. season — in sport
  8. chip — for betting
  9. hand — in cards
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. season — of the year
  13. chip — to eat
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bound — obliged
  16. hand — help
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — to get on
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. board — a committee
  24. hide — animal skin

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