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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. court — of law
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. court — for sport
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. drill — army training
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. court — of a king
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bulb — for light
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bound — certain
  24. lie — an untruth

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