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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: face · rule · swing · net · lie · bound · bore · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bound — obliged
  5. face — to confront
  6. net — in sport
  7. bore — to tire
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. net — after costs
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bound — certain
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rule — a law
  18. can — a tin
  19. face — to point toward
  20. swing — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. can — to be able to
  23. swing — to play on
  24. net — for catching

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