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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 · pop · wake · land · foot · bound · safe · drill

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. drill — army training
  3. land — a country
  4. drill — the tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — to tire
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pop — soda
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. pop — music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wake — a trail
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. drill — a practice
  24. foot — a measure

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