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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: face · bound · tube · lie · leaves · safe · mouse · chest

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bound — tied together
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chest — a box
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tube — a container
  13. face — to point toward
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mouse — the animal

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