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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. degree — from a university
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bark — to shout
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. can — a tin
  17. face — to point toward
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wound — an injury
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bore — to drill
  24. safe — out of danger

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