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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: land · hand · rush · key · toast · bore · fork · safe

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. land — to come down
  3. fork — in a road
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. land — ground
  8. hand — in cards
  9. land — a country
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. hand — help
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bore — to tire
  14. key — in music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rush — hurry
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. toast — bread
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rush — to hurry
  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