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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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468
Word bank
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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. saw — the tool
  5. squash — to crush
  6. fine — all right
  7. fall — to drop
  8. kick — in football
  9. fork — in a road
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mine — for digging
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fall — to drop
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. saw — the tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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