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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: board · lie · bound · temple · press · kid · bat · safe

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bat — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bound — obliged
  6. press — to push
  7. bound — tied together
  8. press — newspapers
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. board — to get on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — child
  17. board — a committee
  18. kid — to tease
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bound — certain
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — to recline

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