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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. net — in sport
  7. current — electric
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. net — after costs
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bat — the animal
  14. current — of water
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. stand — to bear
  17. current — happening now
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bound — obliged
  21. net — for catching
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lie — to recline

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