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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · leaves · track · safe · hand · hide · march · wax

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. track — to keep track
  3. hand — help
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. march — the month
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. track — a path
  14. fork — in a road
  15. march — music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. hand — in cards
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. track — a song
  23. march — the month
  24. hide — animal skin

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