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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
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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 · capital · ground · lie · mug · race · arm

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mug — to rob
  4. race — a contest
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. capital — a city
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. capital — money
  11. bound — certain
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mug — a face
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. race — humankind
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. race — the arms race
  22. lie — to recline
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. ground — a position

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