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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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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: drill · date · ground · safe · dip · row · bound · saw

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. drill — army training
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — tied together
  7. drill — the tool
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. saw — the tool
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ground — crushed
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. row — a line
  16. drill — a practice
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bound — certain
  19. ground — a position
  20. bound — obliged
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. dip — to sink

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