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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bound — certain
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bore — to tire
  11. swing — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bound — tied together
  15. swing — to play on
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mine — for digging
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wound — an injury
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wound — an injury

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