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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 120 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. club — a group
  4. prune — to trim
  5. club — for golf
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. board — to get on
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. board — a committee
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bore — to drill
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. snap — to click
  24. club — for dancing

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