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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bore — to tire
  5. spring — of water
  6. rest — what's left
  7. band — a ring
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — a break
  13. spring — a coil
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — a stone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spring — the season
  20. rock — music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. band — a music group

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