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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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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fine — all right
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bound — certain
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cell — a phone
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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