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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. face — part of the head
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rush — hurry
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bound — certain
  9. court — for sport
  10. rock — music
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. face — to confront
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. court — of a king
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. face — to point toward
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bound — tied together
  20. court — of law
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rock — a stone
  24. foot — part of the body

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