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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. present — there
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. bank — for money
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bound — certain
  9. chip — to eat
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. row — a line
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bank — of a river
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. row — to paddle

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