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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rule — a law
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bound — obliged
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bound — tied together
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wind — moving air
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. board — to get on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stand — to bear
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rule — government
  18. board — a committee
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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