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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: mark · band · safe · key · snap · wake · bay · calf

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. band — a music group
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. key — in music
  5. band — a ring
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. key — the most important part
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. snap — to click
  24. calf — a young animal

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