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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.

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: safe · rush · calf · fall · fork · rock · firm · fan

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. firm — steady
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rock — music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — decided
  15. fall — the season
  16. firm — a company
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fork — to eat with

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