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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · lean · bore · cap · bound · stick · fan · safe

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bound — certain
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — a lid
  7. roll — a cake
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bound — obliged
  13. roll — a list
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. cap — of ice
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — a hat

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