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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: leaves · safe · game · date · straw · pass · fork · saw

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. saw — the tool
  4. game — wild animals
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fork — in a road
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. game — a match
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. leaves — of a tree

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