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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bound — certain
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. board — to get on
  12. scale — in music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. scale — size or range
  15. suit — to fit
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — tied together
  20. spring — a coil
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. board — a committee

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