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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: bay · fork · suit · scale · mine · rash · safe · march

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. march — music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. march — the month
  5. scale — in music
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rash — a series
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — the month
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. suit — to fit
  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