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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. scale — in music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. club — a group
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. scale — size or range
  21. club — for golf
  22. rock — music
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. nail — for a hammer

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