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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bound — certain
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. firm — a company
  8. lie — to recline
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. firm — steady
  11. charge — a price
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hand — help
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — in control
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bound — tied together
  24. charge — electricity

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