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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. lean — to bend
  5. ball — a dance
  6. firm — a company
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bound — certain
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lean — thin
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. firm — decided
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bound — tied together
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. firm — steady

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