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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: sharp · root · fall · bowl · land · lie · bound · deal

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — to come down
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. root — the cause
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. deal — to handle
  17. land — ground
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. root — of a word
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. root — of a plant
  23. land — a country
  24. bowl — to roll

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