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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bound — obliged
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. present — the time now
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. present — a gift
  10. bound — certain
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. present — there
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bark — to shout
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bulb — for light
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. coach — a trainer

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