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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. field — a subject
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chest — of your body
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. field — farmland
  22. chest — of your body
  23. field — for sport
  24. wave — of the sea

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