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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. chest — a box
  7. bound — obliged
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rule — a law
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bound — certain
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. chest — of your 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