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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. drill — a practice
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. kick — in football
  8. drill — army training
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. drill — the tool
  15. deal — to handle
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. rock — a stone
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rock — to move gently

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