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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: foot · bound · pop · trunk · safe · staff · chest · ruler

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bound — certain
  4. pop — soda
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. chest — of your body
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pop — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. foot — a measure
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. staff — a stick
  24. chest — a box

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