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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 116 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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. object — a thing
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. file — a tool
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bat — the animal
  24. object — to protest

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