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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: hand · spring · sharp · bear · safe · stock · fork · cabinet

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. spring — a coil
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. stock — shares
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bear — the animal
  14. sharp — clever
  15. spring — of water
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fork — in a road
  19. spring — the season
  20. hand — in cards
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stock — goods
  24. bear — to put up with

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