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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — certain
  5. court — of a king
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — in a road
  13. row — a line
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. squash — the sport
  18. court — of law
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. lie — to recline
  22. court — for sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bound — tied together

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