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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. can — a tin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cold — an illness
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cold — not warm
  17. can — a tin
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. craft — boats
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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