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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
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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: lie · kick · bound · prune · key · suit · pitcher · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. key — in music
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lie — to recline
  6. suit — in cards
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wind — moving air
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bound — obliged
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — clothes
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bound — tied together
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bound — certain

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