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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mark — a trace
  10. race — humankind
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. race — a contest
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. race — the arms race
  19. suit — in cards
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mark — a grade
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. suit — clothes

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