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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bore — to drill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. net — after costs
  8. season — in sport
  9. present — a gift
  10. rash — a series
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bore — to tire
  13. present — the time now
  14. season — of the year
  15. net — in sport
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. present — there
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rash — hasty
  23. capital — a city
  24. rash — on the skin

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