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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pit — in a race
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — of water
  11. pit — a hole
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — the season
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bore — to drill

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