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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — to fit
  5. squash — to crush
  6. clip — to cut
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bound — certain
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bound — obliged
  16. clip — for paper
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. squash — the sport
  19. suit — in cards
  20. clip — a video
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. patient — a sick person

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