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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rule — government
  3. race — a contest
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. club — a group
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bound — certain
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. firm — a company
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rule — a law
  15. race — the arms race
  16. firm — steady
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. club — for golf
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bound — tied together
  22. race — humankind
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. firm — decided

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