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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: kick · dip · wound · bound · safe · tube · march · arm

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bound — obliged
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wound — an injury
  11. march — the month
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. dip — to sink
  15. kick — in football
  16. march — music
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. march — the month
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bound — tied together

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