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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lean — to bend
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mark — a trace
  9. drill — the tool
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mug — a face
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bound — certain
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. tear — to rip
  17. mug — a cup
  18. drill — army training
  19. lean — thin
  20. mark — a grade
  21. drill — a practice
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — obliged
  24. tear — from crying

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