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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 120 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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. kid — child
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. foot — a measure
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — after costs
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bound — obliged

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