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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 didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. tube — a container
  4. season — of the year
  5. tube — the underground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. board — to get on
  8. pop — music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pop — soda
  11. bat — the animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. board — a committee
  21. season — in sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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