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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bound — certain
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lie — to recline
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. kick — in football
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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