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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · mine · lash · wind · mug · drill · safe · row

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bound — certain
  3. drill — a practice
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. row — a line
  6. bound — tied together
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. drill — army training
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bound — obliged
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mug — a face
  19. drill — the tool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mine — for digging

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