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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: toast · fork · land · bowl · march · nail · safe · bank

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — to come down
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fork — in a road
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bank — for money
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. toast — bread
  15. bank — for money
  16. land — a country
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bank — of a river
  20. march — the month
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. land — ground
  24. march — music

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