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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: wax · date · racket · fork · bass · safe · ruler · mate

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bass — the fish
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mate — a friend
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bass — low music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mate — to breed
  24. racket — for tennis

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