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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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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: mouse · fine · fork · race · spell · kick · band · safe

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. band — a music group
  6. race — humankind
  7. fork — in a road
  8. band — a ring
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. spell — letters
  11. kick — in football
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spell — magic
  14. fine — all right
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. race — the arms race
  24. mouse — the animal

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