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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. tube — a container
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cell — a phone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — in biology
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. band — a ring
  12. tube — the underground
  13. band — a music group
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. can — a tin
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — to drill
  20. can — to be able to
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stand — to bear
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. band — a rubber band

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