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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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. craft — boats
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mug — a cup
  7. deal — to handle
  8. present — there
  9. chest — of your body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. band — a ring
  12. present — a gift
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mug — a face
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chest — a box
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. band — a music group
  22. mug — to rob
  23. present — the time now
  24. chest — of your body

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