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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
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: squash · rule · bound · game · dip · bear · pit · safe

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rule — government
  7. bound — obliged
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rule — a law
  10. bound — tied together
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. squash — the sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. squash — to crush
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — to dunk

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