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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 116 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  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 — a strongbox
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. key — in music
  6. field — for sport
  7. bound — certain
  8. key — for a lock
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. last — final
  11. bound — obliged
  12. key — the most important part
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. field — farmland
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. field — a subject
  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