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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: chest · lash · bay · file · mate · cap · bore · safe

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mate — a friend
  4. chest — of your body
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. file — a document
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. file — a line of people
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bore — to tire
  16. file — a tool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. chest — a box
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mate — to breed
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. safe — out of danger

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