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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · bore · pitcher · chair · snap · mine · rash · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rash — a series
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. face — to confront
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rash — hasty
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. snap — to click
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. face — to point toward
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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