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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 116 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. court — of law
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. staff — a stick
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — to recline
  8. staff — employees
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bank — of a river
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bound — tied together
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. staff — employees
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. face — to point toward
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bound — certain
  19. court — for sport
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bank — for money
  22. face — to confront
  23. court — of a king
  24. hide — animal skin

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