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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.

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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. firm — decided
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bound — certain
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. last — final
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — the tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. bound — obliged
  18. last — to go on
  19. pop — music
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. saw — the tool
  23. last — finally
  24. firm — a company

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