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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: mark · bear · craft · mate · safe · firm · tube · file

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. craft — boats
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. file — a document
  10. mate — to breed
  11. craft — a skill
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. tube — a container
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — decided
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. file — a line of people
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mate — a friend
  23. file — a tool
  24. tube — the underground

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