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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. track — a path
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lean — thin
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bulb — for light
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. clip — for paper
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. clip — to cut
  18. track — a song
  19. lean — to bend
  20. track — to keep track
  21. clip — a video
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. fork — in a road

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