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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. can — a tin
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bound — tied together
  4. board — a committee
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. degree — an amount
  7. tube — a container
  8. can — a tin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. board — to get on
  11. bound — certain
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bore — to tire
  16. degree — temperature
  17. fork — in a road
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. can — to be able to
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bound — obliged
  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