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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 116 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: fine · clip · bore · mouse · wave · fork · safe · lean

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lean — thin
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fine — high quality
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. clip — for paper
  17. bore — to drill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. clip — a video
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bore — to tire
  24. safe — out of danger

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