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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: shower · safe · lie · staff · ruler · jam · fork · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. shower — to wash
  4. staff — a stick
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. staff — employees
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bore — to drill
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fork — in a road
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. shower — rain

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