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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bore — to tire
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rash — a series
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in biology

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