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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bore — to tire
  5. chest — a box
  6. bass — low music
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bore — to drill
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. chest — of your body
  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