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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · race · rock · fan · land · fork · bore · suit

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. land — a country
  6. land — ground
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. suit — clothes
  9. land — to come down
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. race — the arms race
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bore — to drill
  14. race — humankind
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. race — a contest
  21. rock — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rock — a stone

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