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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: lie · fall · pass · dip · row · pitch · bound · suit

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bound — tied together
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bound — certain
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fall — to drop
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. suit — in cards
  22. row — a line
  23. dip — to sink
  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