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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. can — a tin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. current — electric
  7. can — to be able to
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — happening now
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. prune — to trim
  18. shower — to wash
  19. prune — to trim
  20. current — of water
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. shower — rain

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