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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. tear — from crying
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. scale — size or range
  11. tear — from crying
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. tear — to rip
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bank — for money
  18. scale — in music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bore — to tire
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bank — of a river

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