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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pop — soda
  5. current — happening now
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pop — to visit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — certain
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bark — to shout
  19. cell — in biology
  20. current — electric
  21. pop — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. current — of water
  24. pitcher — a jug

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