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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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. bound — tied together
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mark — a trace
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. board — a committee
  10. bound — certain
  11. cell — in biology
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. foot — a measure
  19. cell — a phone
  20. board — to get on
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mine — for digging

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