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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: season · bore · track · rash · safe · last · present · cabinet

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. present — there
  4. last — final
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. season — of the year
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. track — a song
  12. rash — a series
  13. last — finally
  14. bore — to drill
  15. track — to keep track
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. season — in sport
  19. last — to go on
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. track — a path
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bore — to tire

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