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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. staff — a stick
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stock — shares
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bound — certain
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bound — tied together
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. staff — employees
  19. stock — goods
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cap — of ice
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. staff — employees
  24. cap — a hat

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