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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. current — electric
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. current — of water
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rest — a break
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bore — to tire
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. row — to paddle
  18. vault — a safe
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bore — to drill
  21. plane — a tool
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. current — happening now

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