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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bound — certain
  4. kid — child
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bank — for money
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bank — of a river
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. chair — a leader
  14. lie — to recline
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bound — tied together
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hand — help
  24. safe — a strongbox

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