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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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 — to drill
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rash — hasty
  8. suit — clothes
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cell — in biology
  18. board — a committee
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. board — to get on
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rash — a series
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rash — on the skin

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