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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cell — in biology
  4. present — the time now
  5. drill — the tool
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. drill — army training
  9. cell — a phone
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wound — an injury
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lean — thin
  14. present — there
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. present — a gift
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wound — an injury
  23. craft — boats
  24. fork — a garden tool

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