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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bass — low music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wound — an injury
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mug — to rob
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bore — to drill
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mug — a face
  21. drill — army training
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. hand — help

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