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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. scale — size or range
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. band — a ring
  8. mate — to breed
  9. chest — of your body
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. band — a music group
  14. bore — to tire
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — the most important part
  18. scale — in music
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bore — to drill

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