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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · rule · stick · bore · chest · safe

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bore — to drill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rule — government
  6. chest — a box
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. chest — of your body
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rule — a law
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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