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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. game — wild animals
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bound — tied together
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bound — obliged
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. game — a match
  23. bound — certain
  24. 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