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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: last · safe · dip · bank · suit · pound · fork · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. suit — to fit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. last — final
  13. bank — for money
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. suit — clothes
  16. last — to go on
  17. bank — of a river
  18. suit — in cards
  19. dip — to sink
  20. last — finally
  21. hand — help
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pound — a weight
  24. safe — a strongbox

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