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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bound — obliged
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bound — tied together
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rush — hurry
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bound — certain
  24. temple — a place of worship

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