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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 124 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bound — certain
  8. bear — the animal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mine — for digging
  24. wound — an injury

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