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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: leaves · bound · lie · mark · face · board · bulb · ground

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. lie — to recline
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. board — to get on
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — to confront
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bound — tied together
  20. ground — crushed
  21. board — a committee
  22. ground — a position
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. leaves — of a tree

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