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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. bat — the animal
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. shower — to wash
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. can — a tin
  12. shower — rain
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bore — to drill
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. sharp — clever
  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