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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: saw · rest · trunk · arm · bat · mouse · bore · safe

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bat — the animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. rest — a break
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rest — what's left
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. saw — the tool
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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