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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 · file · degree · lie · bat · can · suit · bore

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — an amount
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. file — a document
  8. bore — to drill
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. file — a tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. can — a tin
  14. bound — certain
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bound — tied together
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bore — to tire
  22. suit — in cards
  23. can — to be able to
  24. file — a line of people

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