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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. foot — a measure
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spring — of water
  5. track — a path
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. spring — the season
  11. track — a song
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. row — to paddle
  15. track — to keep track
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bound — certain
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bound — obliged
  23. row — a line
  24. wound — an injury

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