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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bound — tied together
  6. object — to protest
  7. squash — the sport
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. scale — in music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. object — an aim
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bass — low music
  17. rest — a break
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bound — obliged
  20. squash — to crush
  21. object — a thing
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bound — certain
  24. scale — size or range

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