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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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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: clip · fork · wake · hide · ball · stick · safe · deal

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. clip — for paper
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. clip — to cut
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. clip — a video
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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