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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lie — to recline
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. file — a document
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. file — a tool
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — a permit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. cold — not warm
  23. bound — obliged
  24. cold — an illness

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