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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fall — the season
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bound — obliged
  9. fall — to drop
  10. drill — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. drill — a practice
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bound — certain
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. kick — in football
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bound — tied together

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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