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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: land · march · bound · squash · stick · bowl · jam · safe

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. march — music
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. land — to come down
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bound — certain
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bound — tied together
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. march — the month
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. squash — the sport
  22. march — the month
  23. land — ground
  24. squash — to crush

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