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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: safe · bulb · fork · branch · fine · content · club · bank

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fine — high quality
  11. content — happy
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fine — all right
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. club — a group
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bank — for money
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fork — in a road
  22. content — the amount
  23. bank — of a river
  24. club — for golf

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