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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: mark · fine · plane · safe · fork · fall · last · bank

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. last — finally
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — a trace
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fine — all right
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bank — for money
  13. fall — to drop
  14. last — final
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fall — the season
  20. bank — of a river
  21. last — to go on
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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