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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.

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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: safe · saw · toast · nail · bear · game · bound · net

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. game — a match
  3. net — after costs
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. toast — bread
  8. saw — the tool
  9. game — wild animals
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bound — certain
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. net — in sport
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. net — for catching
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. safe — out of danger

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