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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rest — what's left
  8. drill — army training
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. drill — a practice
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lie — to recline
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rest — a break
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bear — the animal

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