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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
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: foot · club · lean · pitcher · fork · nail · game · safe

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. club — a group
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. club — for dancing
  9. foot — a measure
  10. game — a match
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lean — to bend
  18. game — wild animals
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. club — for golf
  23. lean — thin
  24. fork — to eat with

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