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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a document
  4. mate — to breed
  5. craft — boats
  6. bound — certain
  7. file — a tool
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. present — the time now
  10. mate — a friend
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mate — a partner
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bound — tied together
  18. roll — a list
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. file — a line of people
  21. present — a gift
  22. board — a committee
  23. present — there
  24. board — to get on

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