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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: mark · lean · bound · mine · cabinet · lie · fine · bark

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lean — thin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mark — to pay attention

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