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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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. scale — size or range
  3. staff — a stick
  4. drill — a practice
  5. tube — the underground
  6. drill — the tool
  7. spring — of water
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. bound — certain
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. drill — army training
  18. spring — a coil
  19. scale — in music
  20. spring — the season
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bear — to put up with

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