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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fall — the season
  6. bound — tied together
  7. spring — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. spring — a coil
  10. squash — to crush
  11. net — in sport
  12. firm — decided
  13. bound — certain
  14. net — after costs
  15. fall — to drop
  16. net — for catching
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. squash — the sport
  20. spring — of water
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. bound — obliged

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