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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. lie — to recline
  3. craft — boats
  4. mug — a cup
  5. track — a song
  6. bound — tied together
  7. present — there
  8. bound — obliged
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mug — to rob
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bound — certain
  14. track — a path
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. track — to keep track
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mug — a face
  19. present — a gift
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. craft — a skill
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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