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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. tube — the underground
  3. ground — a position
  4. bat — the animal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. squash — to crush
  8. board — to get on
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bound — certain
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ground — crushed
  13. board — a committee
  14. tube — a container
  15. bound — obliged
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. safe — out of danger

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