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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: straw · safe · fork · bore · face · perch · foot · field

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. field — for sport
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. face — to point toward
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fork — in a road
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. face — to confront
  18. perch — the fish
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. face — part of the head
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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