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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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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: net · safe · fork · rock · wind · mark · date · wake

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wake — a trail
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wind — moving air
  10. net — in sport
  11. rock — a stone
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. date — the fruit
  20. net — after costs
  21. mark — a grade
  22. net — for catching
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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