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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 120 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: safe · fan · mark · craft · bear · tube · present · wound

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wound — an injury
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. present — the time now
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — a gift
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. present — there
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mark — a trace
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. craft — boats
  24. safe — a strongbox

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