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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tear — from crying
  4. suit — clothes
  5. spell — a short time
  6. current — of water
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. spell — letters
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. drill — the tool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. drill — a practice
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tear — from crying
  16. spell — magic
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. current — happening now
  19. perch — the fish
  20. drill — army training
  21. tear — to rip
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fork — in a road
  24. current — electric

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