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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. lean — thin
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bore — to tire
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. drill — the tool
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bound — obliged
  24. lean — to bend

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