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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 116 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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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: bear · object · safe · spell · pass · wind · fork · cap

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — of ice
  6. object — a thing
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. object — an aim
  10. spell — letters
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. object — to protest
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — moving air

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