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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. lean — thin
  4. swing — to play on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bound — certain
  7. stem — to come from
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pop — to visit
  11. lean — to bend
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pop — soda
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pop — music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. board — to get on
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. board — a committee
  23. swing — music
  24. racket — a loud noise

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