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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bass — low music
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — certain
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bass — the fish
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. chest — a box
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bore — to drill
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bore — to tire

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