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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 120 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. clip — to cut
  9. drill — a practice
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — in cards
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. clip — for paper
  15. tear — from crying
  16. perch — the fish
  17. clip — a video
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — to fit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bound — certain
  24. safe — a strongbox

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