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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. hand — help
  10. bound — tied together
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pop — soda
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — certain

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