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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 120 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 · fork · object · mine · fine · safe · game · mate

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fork — in a road
  4. object — an aim
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mine — for digging
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. game — a match
  13. object — a thing
  14. fine — high quality
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mate — to breed
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fine — all right
  22. object — to protest
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. game — wild animals

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