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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 · net · fine · bound · present · jam · bay · snap

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. present — there
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. net — for catching
  5. snap — to click
  6. lie — to recline
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fine — all right
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. present — the time now
  11. fine — high quality
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. net — after costs
  15. present — a gift
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bound — obliged
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. net — in sport
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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