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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bound — certain
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stem — of a plant

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