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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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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 · kick · deal · drill · club · pitch · lean

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. lean — thin
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bound — tied together
  6. club — for golf
  7. drill — the tool
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. drill — army training
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bound — obliged
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — to bend
  17. club — a group
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. club — for dancing
  21. drill — a practice
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. kick — in football
  24. lean — to rest against

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