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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. tear — from crying
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. land — to come down
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. tear — from crying
  8. roll — a list
  9. suit — clothes
  10. land — a country
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bank — for money
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bank — of a river
  20. roll — a cake
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. land — ground
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — to eat with

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