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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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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rest — a break
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tear — from crying
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rest — what's left
  12. squash — the sport
  13. key — in music
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. roll — a cake
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. key — for a lock

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