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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
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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: face · safe · content · bound · bear · degree · lie · object

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. degree — from a university
  3. object — a thing
  4. degree — temperature
  5. lie — to recline
  6. face — to point toward
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bound — certain
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. degree — an amount
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — the amount
  13. bound — obliged
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bear — the animal
  16. content — happy
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. object — an aim
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. face — to confront
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. object — to protest
  24. lie — an untruth

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