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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. rash — a series
  3. rock — music
  4. race — humankind
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — music
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bore — to drill
  9. content — happy
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pop — to visit
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. race — a contest
  20. content — the amount
  21. race — the arms race
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pop — soda
  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