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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bound — certain
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bound — tied together
  9. ball — a dance
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — to cut
  14. can — to be able to
  15. march — the month
  16. can — a tin
  17. bound — obliged
  18. clip — for paper
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. march — the month
  21. clip — a video
  22. march — music
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. suit — in cards

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