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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
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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 · shower · pop · object · face · safe · drill · suit

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pop — to visit
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. object — to protest
  9. face — part of the head
  10. suit — to fit
  11. face — to point toward
  12. suit — clothes
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pop — music
  16. drill — the tool
  17. object — an aim
  18. pop — soda
  19. face — to confront
  20. object — a thing
  21. drill — army training
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — rain
  24. drill — a practice

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