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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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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: cabinet · cell · season · bear · lie · mug · hide · bound

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mug — a cup
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — in sport
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bound — certain
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mug — a face
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cell — in biology
  20. mug — to rob
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. season — of the year
  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