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

Word bank: safe · stick · foot · mug · cold · deal · bound · fine

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bound — certain
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cold — not warm
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bound — tied together
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mug — a face
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mug — to rob
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cold — an illness
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fine — all right
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. deal — to handle

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