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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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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 · safe · tear · snap · rest · coach · trunk · dip

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rest — a break
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bore — to drill
  5. dip — to sink
  6. snap — to click
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rest — what's left
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. tear — to rip
  24. safe — a strongbox

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