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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 120 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: safe · plane · fork · ruler · suit · nail · lie · cold

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — in a road
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. suit — in cards
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cold — an illness
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. suit — to fit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cold — not warm

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