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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mug — a cup
  5. track — a path
  6. tube — a container
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bound — certain
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mug — to rob
  12. drill — army training
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. track — a song
  15. perch — the fish
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mug — a face
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. track — to keep track
  24. drill — a practice

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