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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: perch · lie · spring · bound · spell · safe · hand · pit

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — tied together
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — of water
  7. spell — a short time
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pit — in a race
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. spell — letters
  12. bound — certain
  13. spell — magic
  14. hand — help
  15. bound — obliged
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. lie — to recline
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spring — the season
  24. pit — a hole

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