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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. board — to get on
  3. wind — moving air
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bound — obliged
  9. firm — steady
  10. field — farmland
  11. firm — a company
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bound — certain
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. board — a committee
  17. firm — decided
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wind — moving air

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