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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 120 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: track · drill · shower · fork · safe · spring · current · object

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. track — to keep track
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. spring — of water
  6. shower — rain
  7. object — to protest
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. current — happening now
  10. drill — army training
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. current — electric
  13. track — a path
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. object — a thing
  17. current — of water
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. track — a song
  20. spring — a coil
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. object — an aim
  23. shower — to wash
  24. spring — the season

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