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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rock — music
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. cue — a signal
  24. safe — out of danger

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