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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bear — the animal
  8. file — a document
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pop — soda
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. file — a tool
  14. bound — certain
  15. pop — music
  16. stock — shares
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bound — tied together
  19. file — a line of people
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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