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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bound — certain
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cue — for pool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. land — ground
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — to tire
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. cue — a signal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. land — to come down
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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