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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: safe · bore · racket · cap · pound · suit · mine · ground

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mine — for digging
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bore — to drill
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pound — a weight
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. ground — the earth

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