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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: tear · court · bore · squash · straw · pass · safe · bound

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. court — of a king
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. squash — to crush
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. tear — from crying
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bound — certain
  14. court — for sport
  15. bound — tied together
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pass — a permit
  19. court — of law
  20. bore — to tire
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bore — to drill
  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