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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: mark · fork · tube · staff · net · safe · fan · cell

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. net — in sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mark — a trace
  12. staff — a stick
  13. tube — a container
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cell — a phone
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. staff — employees
  19. net — for catching
  20. cell — in biology
  21. staff — employees
  22. net — after costs
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fan — a supporter

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