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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: kick · safe · wake · chip · fork · face · bear · fan

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bear — the animal
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kick — in football
  16. face — to confront
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. chip — for betting
  20. wake — a trail
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fan — to cool the air

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