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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. row — a line
  7. cap — of ice
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bound — certain
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rash — a series
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — to paddle
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bark — to shout

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