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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.

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: bass · present · bay · lie · bound · drill · tube · craft

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. lie — to recline
  3. present — a gift
  4. tube — a container
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. present — the time now
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bass — low music
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. present — there
  18. bass — the fish
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. tube — the underground
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bound — obliged
  23. drill — army training
  24. bound — tied together

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