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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 116 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: fork · march · tear · ground · swing · nail · safe · fine

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fork — in a road
  3. march — the month
  4. swing — in golf
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. swing — to play on
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. march — the month
  11. swing — music
  12. march — music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ground — a position
  19. tear — to rip
  20. ground — crushed
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. ground — the earth
  24. fork — a garden tool

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