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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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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: wave · bore · safe · vault · roll · mate · object · straw

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. roll — a list
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bore — to tire
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. object — to protest
  20. vault — a safe
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. roll — a cake
  24. mate — a friend

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