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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · pit · nail · bark · cell · spell · bound · leaves

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pit — in a race
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pit — a hole
  5. spell — magic
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bound — certain
  10. bark — to shout
  11. cell — in biology
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. spell — a short time
  14. cell — a phone
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spell — letters
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. nail — on a finger

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