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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. chair — a leader
  5. spring — the season
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bore — to drill
  10. spring — of water
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. ball — a dance
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. ball — a great time
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bulb — for light
  23. nail — on a finger
  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