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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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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: rock · wake · bat · safe · leaves · foot · stick · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bat — the animal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. foot — a measure
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rock — music
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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