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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. firm — decided
  10. roll — a cake
  11. race — humankind
  12. bound — certain
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — the arms race
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. firm — steady
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — obliged
  23. roll — a list
  24. bound — tied together

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