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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: wake · snap · field · rush · ball · fork · mark · safe

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. field — a subject
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. field — farmland
  10. snap — to click
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wake — a trail
  15. field — for sport
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ball — a dance
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. safe — out of danger
  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