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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitch — completely
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to tire

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