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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: rush · pass · fork · toast · file · safe · bear · ground

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. file — a line of people
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ground — a position
  6. toast — bread
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — the earth
  10. file — a tool
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rush — hurry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pass — a permit
  19. file — a document
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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