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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bore — to tire
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mug — a face
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mug — to rob
  14. can — a tin
  15. ground — a position
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — low music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fork — in a road
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ground — the earth

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