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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: bound · wake · lie · stand · arm · ground · lean · racket

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. lean — to bend
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bound — tied together
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lean — thin
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ground — the earth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ground — a position
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lie — an untruth

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