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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bound — tied together
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. board — to get on
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. board — a committee
  22. stock — goods
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. lie — an untruth

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