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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · bay · charge · prune · bear · lie

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — in control
  6. lie — to recline
  7. charge — a price
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with

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