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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: fan · fork · rest · game · bank · bear · kick · safe

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bank — for money
  10. game — a match
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bank — for money
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. game — wild animals
  18. kick — in football
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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