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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bound — certain
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. capital — money
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. court — of law
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. court — of a king
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. court — for sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. capital — a city

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