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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. drill — a practice
  4. last — to go on
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. last — final
  7. bound — obliged
  8. prune — to trim
  9. squash — to crush
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bound — tied together
  14. drill — the tool
  15. last — finally
  16. tube — the underground
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bound — certain
  19. prune — to trim
  20. tube — a container
  21. drill — army training
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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