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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rush — hurry
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stock — goods
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cap — a hat
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stock — shares

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