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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: net · bear · bound · safe · arm · stock · pass · date

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stock — goods
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bound — certain
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. date — the fruit
  13. net — for catching
  14. pass — a permit
  15. net — after costs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. net — in sport
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bear — the animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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