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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. season — in sport
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bat — the animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. ball — a great time
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. bank — for money
  22. bore — to tire
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bank — for money

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