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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 120 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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bound — tied together
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. object — to protest
  7. current — electric
  8. march — music
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. land — ground
  11. object — an aim
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — of water
  15. land — a country
  16. current — happening now
  17. bound — certain
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — child
  20. land — to come down
  21. object — a thing
  22. march — the month
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bound — obliged

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