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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. file — a tool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bore — to tire
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a document
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. file — a line of people
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. fan — a supporter

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