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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 116 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: bore · sharp · board · trunk · racket · bat · safe · pound

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. board — to get on
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. board — a committee
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. sharp — exactly

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