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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · jam · bear · snap · bound · safe · bulb · race

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bound — tied together
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. snap — to click
  12. race — humankind
  13. bear — the animal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bulb — for light
  17. race — the arms race
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — to get on
  21. race — a contest
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. board — a committee
  24. safe — out of danger

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