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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stock — shares
  9. bound — tied together
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bore — to tire
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ball — a great time
  20. stock — goods
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bound — certain
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pass — to spend time

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