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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. bore — to drill
  8. tube — a container
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. tube — the underground
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cold — an illness
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stand — to bear
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cold — not warm
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cabinet — ministers

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