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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 · scale · kick · safe · deal · drill

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. drill — the tool
  8. deal — to handle
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. scale — in music
  11. kick — in football
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. scale — size or range
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. drill — army training

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