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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. file — a tool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rest — a break
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. file — a line of people
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. file — a document
  22. cue — a signal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rest — what's left

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