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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. last — to go on
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — farmland
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bound — certain
  12. last — finally
  13. field — a subject
  14. row — to paddle
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. last — final
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bound — obliged
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. row — a line
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. hide — animal skin

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