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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fall — the season
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mate — to breed
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. content — happy
  10. bound — obliged
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. content — the amount
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bound — tied together
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bound — certain
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mate — a partner
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fall — to drop

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