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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fork — in a road
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bore — to tire
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pop — music
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pop — to visit
  14. band — a music group
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. plane — a tool
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chip — to eat
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. band — a ring
  24. pound — to hit hard

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