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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: fork · safe · object · cabinet · bore · coach · cell · degree

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bore — to drill
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cell — a phone
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. degree — an amount
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. degree — temperature
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. object — a thing
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cell — in biology
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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