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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bound — obliged
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lean — to bend
  5. row — a line
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spring — the season
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. spring — of water
  11. bound — certain
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bound — tied together
  14. lean — thin
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. spring — a coil
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pound — to hit hard

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