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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: safe · plane · sharp · fork · fine · dip · band · bowl

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a music group
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. band — a ring
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. plane — a 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