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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cue — a signal
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. squash — the sport
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rest — a break
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rest — what's left
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bound — tied together
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. rash — a series
  24. drill — a practice

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