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

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ball — a great time
  7. degree — an amount
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — government
  11. spring — the season
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. degree — from a university
  17. spring — of water
  18. rule — a law
  19. ball — a dance
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pit — in a race
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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