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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: bound · safe · firm · bat · rest · mouse · key · wound

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bound — certain
  4. wound — an injury
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — a company
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wound — an injury
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. rest — a break
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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