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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. spell — letters
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bound — obliged
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bound — certain
  18. current — electric
  19. sharp — clever
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spell — magic
  24. snap — to click

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