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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stock — shares
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. file — a line of people
  8. kick — in football
  9. bore — to tire
  10. file — a tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — to sink
  13. file — a document
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stock — goods
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bass — the fish
  24. safe — out of danger

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