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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bore — to tire
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bass — low music
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — rain
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lash — an eyelash

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