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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. roll — a list
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rash — hasty
  9. face — to confront
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. pitch — completely
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bore — to drill
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rash — a series
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bore — gave birth

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