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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · wind · safe · spell · sharp · bore · fine · fork

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wind — moving air
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bore — to drill
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. spell — letters
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. sharp — clever

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