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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: pitcher · chest · safe · rule · bore · deal · straw · mark

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. chest — a box
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rule — a law
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bore — to tire
  17. deal — to handle
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bore — to drill
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pitcher — a jug

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