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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: clip · bound · safe · date · pound · cabinet · temple · spell

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. date — the fruit
  4. spell — magic
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bound — certain
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. clip — a video
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bound — obliged
  14. spell — letters
  15. bound — tied together
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. clip — for paper
  21. clip — to cut
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. date — on the calendar

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