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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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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: safe · fine · charge · fork · stick · nail · drill · bank

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — all right
  3. drill — a practice
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. drill — the tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — for money
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bank — of a river
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. charge — in control
  16. bank — for money
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. charge — a price
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fine — high quality
  23. drill — army training
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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