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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rest — a break
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rest — what's left
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bore — to drill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fork — in a road
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rest — what's left
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — to handle
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. dip — to sink

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