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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bound — obliged
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stock — goods
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. bound — tied together
  19. ball — a dance
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ball — a great time
  24. safe — out of danger

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