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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: safe · tear · drill · date · bound · scale · wake · fine

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. drill — the tool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. drill — army training
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wake — a trail
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bound — obliged
  11. fine — all right
  12. scale — in music
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. fine — high quality
  15. tear — from crying
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. drill — a practice
  18. tear — to rip
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bound — certain
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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