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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. present — there
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. present — the time now
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. race — humankind
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bore — to drill
  13. object — an aim
  14. race — a contest
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. present — a gift
  18. bat — the animal
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. object — to protest
  22. bore — to tire
  23. object — a thing
  24. race — the arms race

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