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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: pop · sharp · wound · stock · cap · bore · rock · safe

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pop — to visit
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rock — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stock — shares
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rock — a stone
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. stock — goods
  21. pop — music
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cap — of ice

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