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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: fork · safe · hide · perch · land · rock · mark · mouse

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. perch — the fish
  7. land — a country
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. land — to come down
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rock — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. land — ground
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mark — a grade
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — a stone
  24. hide — to keep secret

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