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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cell — in biology
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. spring — of water
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rock — a stone
  11. band — a music group
  12. spring — the season
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. rock — music
  16. bound — certain
  17. mark — a grade
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bound — obliged
  20. cell — a phone
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. band — a ring
  24. safe — out of danger

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