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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.

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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chest — of your body
  4. net — in sport
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chest — a box
  9. bore — to tire
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. net — for catching
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. net — after costs
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bore — to drill

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