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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. degree — an amount
  3. net — after costs
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bore — to drill
  6. degree — from a university
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fork — in a road
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lean — to bend
  16. net — for catching
  17. can — to be able to
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. can — a tin
  20. net — in sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — thin
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. safe — a strongbox

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