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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: chest · deal · foot · wake · sharp · drill · safe · bore

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — a box
  14. drill — a practice
  15. chest — of your body
  16. drill — army training
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. sharp — clever
  20. foot — a measure
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bore — to tire
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. deal — an agreement

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