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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — tied together
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kid — to tease
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fine — high quality
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. kid — child
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fine — all right
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bound — obliged
  18. date — the fruit
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bound — certain
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. spring — of water
  24. lie — to recline

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