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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: mate · mark · fork · last · tube · wake · bulb · safe

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. mate — a friend
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. last — final
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mark — a grade
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wake — a trail
  20. tube — a container
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mark — a trace

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