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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bass — low music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bore — to drill
  5. ground — a position
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bass — the fish
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ground — crushed
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stand — on your feet

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