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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: nail · board · pitch · bore · can · safe · tube · fall

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fall — to drop
  8. board — a committee
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bore — to drill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fall — the season
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. board — to get on
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pitch — completely
  22. tube — a container
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fall — to drop

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