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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. race — the arms race
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — a list
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bound — tied together
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. object — to protest
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. race — a contest
  12. object — a thing
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — finally
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. lie — to recline
  18. object — an aim
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. last — final
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bound — certain
  23. race — humankind
  24. safe — out of danger

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