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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · object · bank · leaves · scale · file · field · fork

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. file — a document
  3. bank — for money
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. object — to protest
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — for sport
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bank — for money
  12. object — an aim
  13. file — a line of people
  14. field — a subject
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. scale — in music
  17. file — a tool
  18. object — a thing
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fork — in a road

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