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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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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: shower · mark · present · fork · mouse · leaves · safe · patient

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fork — in a road
  4. present — the time now
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mark — a trace
  11. shower — rain
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. present — there
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. shower — to wash
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fork — to eat with

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