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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: lash · cell · safe · last · net · wind · rest · fork

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cell — in biology
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. last — finally
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. last — final
  11. net — in sport
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. last — to go on
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. net — for catching
  21. wind — moving air
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. net — after costs
  24. rest — a break

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