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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. row — to paddle
  4. present — there
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bound — certain
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bound — obliged
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lean — thin
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. row — a line
  18. present — the time now
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stock — shares
  21. present — a gift
  22. stock — goods
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bound — tied together

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