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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. season — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — obliged
  7. march — the month
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bound — tied together
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rush — hurry
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. band — a ring
  18. bound — certain
  19. band — a music group
  20. season — of the year
  21. lean — thin
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lean — to bend
  24. dip — to dunk

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