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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: bore · safe · cabinet · track · chair · sharp · pop · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. chair — a leader
  3. track — to keep track
  4. sharp — clever
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pop — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pop — soda
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pop — to visit
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chair — a professorship

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