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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. key — in music
  6. bark — to shout
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bound — tied together
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. tube — the underground
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bound — certain
  16. lie — to recline
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. board — a committee
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wax — to grow
  21. key — for a lock
  22. tube — a container
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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