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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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. clip — for paper
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. clip — a video
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rash — hasty
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cap — a hat
  14. drill — the tool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. drill — army training
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bass — low music
  22. rash — a series
  23. clip — to cut
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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