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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 120 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: bound · safe · stick · sharp · rash · ball · bat · season

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bound — tied together
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bound — certain
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rash — a series
  7. season — in sport
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. ball — a dance
  14. season — of the year
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rash — hasty
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bound — obliged

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