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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. wake — a trail
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. deal — to handle
  9. ground — crushed
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ground — the earth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. tube — the underground
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. ground — a position
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. safe — a strongbox

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