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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. wake — a trail
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rash — a series
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. fine — all right
  14. chest — a box
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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