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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. spring — of water
  5. charge — a price
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bound — tied together
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. spring — a coil
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — in control
  19. spring — the season
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — certain
  24. bark — of a tree

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