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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bound — certain
  6. roll — a cake
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. roll — a list
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bound — obliged
  11. toast — bread
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. game — wild animals
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — tied together
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ruler — for measuring

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