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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: fall · mate · safe · land · arm · current · bound · bore

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. current — happening now
  3. mate — a partner
  4. current — of water
  5. land — to come down
  6. bore — to drill
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fall — the season
  9. current — electric
  10. bound — certain
  11. mate — to breed
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fall — to drop
  16. land — ground
  17. bound — obliged
  18. land — a country
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bore — to tire

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