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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wake — a trail
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. track — a path
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — the month
  10. kid — child
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bound — obliged
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. track — a song
  23. kid — to tease
  24. track — to keep track

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