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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 · fork · trunk · dip · bat · ball · sharp · bore

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bore — to drill
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. dip — to sink
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fork — in a road
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. ball — a great time
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. dip — to dunk

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