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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: safe · plane · date · bore · object · hand · fork · content

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. hand — help
  9. plane — a tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. object — a thing
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. content — happy
  14. object — an aim
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bore — to drill
  20. content — the amount
  21. hand — in cards
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. object — to protest

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