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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: safe · wake · ground · date · toast · foot · land · bowl

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ground — the earth
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. land — a country
  7. land — ground
  8. wake — a trail
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ground — a position
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. land — to come down
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. toast — bread
  22. ground — crushed
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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