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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. chest — of your body
  7. club — a group
  8. bore — to drill
  9. club — for golf
  10. chest — a box
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. chip — to eat
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bore — to tire
  20. chest — of your body
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — an amount
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bore — gave birth

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