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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. march — music
  5. present — the time now
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. present — a gift
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — for money
  10. bound — certain
  11. lie — to recline
  12. present — there
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bank — of a river
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bound — obliged

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