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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 116 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: fork · track · safe · tube · rock · march · bulb · land

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tube — the underground
  3. track — a path
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. land — to come down
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. tube — a container
  9. track — to keep track
  10. land — ground
  11. fork — in a road
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. track — a song
  18. land — a country
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rock — music
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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