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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. object — a thing
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chest — a box
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. object — an aim
  21. bound — certain
  22. object — to protest
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bound — tied together

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