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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pop — music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pop — to visit
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wound — an injury
  12. drill — army training
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — to sink
  16. drill — the tool
  17. date — the fruit
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bear — the animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pop — soda

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