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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — obliged
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. hand — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. perch — the fish
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. hand — help
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. roll — a list
  23. suit — to fit
  24. roll — a cake

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