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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mine — for digging
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bound — obliged
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bound — certain
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bound — tied together
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lie — to recline
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wake — a trail
  22. toast — bread
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

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