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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. march — the month
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. face — part of the head
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. field — for sport
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. lean — thin
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bound — obliged
  19. march — music
  20. lean — to bend
  21. march — the month
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. face — to confront
  24. nail — for a hammer

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