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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: roll · current · clip · bore · fork · track · safe · rule

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rule — a law
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. current — electric
  6. bore — to tire
  7. current — happening now
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. clip — to cut
  11. track — a song
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. clip — a video
  14. rule — government
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bore — to drill
  20. roll — a cake
  21. track — a path
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. current — of water

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