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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rule — government
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wound — an injury
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rule — a law
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bound — certain
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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