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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bound — tied together
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a match
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. board — to get on
  14. mug — a face
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mug — to rob
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mug — a cup

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