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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: hide · wound · land · bound · foot · safe · pass · spell

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — letters
  4. land — a country
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bound — certain
  9. pass — a permit
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bound — tied together
  17. land — ground
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bound — obliged
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. land — to come down
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. hide — to keep secret

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