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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: rush · rest · can · fine · bowl · mark · safe · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rest — what's left
  8. can — a tin
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. can — a tin
  11. rest — a break
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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