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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: shower · nail · pass · safe · wound · cap · fork · track

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fork — in a road
  3. shower — rain
  4. track — a path
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. track — to keep track
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wound — an injury
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wound — an injury
  22. track — a song
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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