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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lean — thin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lean — to bend
  6. squash — to crush
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. kid — to tease
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. vault — a safe
  13. kid — child
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bore — to tire
  16. squash — the sport
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bound — certain
  19. bore — to drill
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bound — tied together
  24. squash — the vegetable

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