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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. board — to get on
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. net — for catching
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stem — to come from
  10. net — after costs
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. board — a committee
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. net — in sport
  23. land — ground
  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