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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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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: hide · bore · root · present · stand · band · safe · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. band — a music group
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. fork — in a road
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bore — to drill
  9. present — there
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. root — of a plant
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. present — a gift
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bore — to tire
  23. present — the time now
  24. stand — to bear

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