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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. shower — rain
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bound — tied together
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bound — certain
  17. wind — moving air
  18. temple — a place of worship

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