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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. tube — the underground
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fork — in a road
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bound — obliged
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. tube — a container
  15. wax — to grow
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ball — a dance

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