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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: present · bound · safe · season · clip · lash · lie · pitcher

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. present — there
  3. season — in sport
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bound — certain
  9. season — of the year
  10. bound — tied together
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. clip — a video
  16. present — the time now
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. clip — to cut
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. present — a gift
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. clip — for paper

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