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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. dip — to sink
  3. hand — help
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. chest — a box
  7. rule — government
  8. chest — of your body
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bound — certain
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. season — in sport
  15. rule — a law
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. hand — in cards
  19. season — of the year
  20. chest — of your body
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. dip — a sauce

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