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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bound — obliged
  12. row — to paddle
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. scale — size or range
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bound — certain
  18. swing — music
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. row — a line
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. scale — in music

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