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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. staff — employees
  3. scale — size or range
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. scale — in music
  6. squash — the sport
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bound — obliged
  11. staff — a stick
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bat — the animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — employees
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bound — certain
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. nail — on a finger

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