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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. present — the time now
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wound — an injury
  8. band — a music group
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. present — there
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wound — an injury
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bound — tied together
  16. tear — from crying
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. present — a gift
  21. band — a ring
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. band — a rubber band

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