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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. tear — from crying
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. tear — to rip
  12. ball — a great time
  13. chest — of your body
  14. squash — the sport
  15. chest — a box
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mate — a partner
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. safe — a strongbox

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