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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 116 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: march · safe · face · fine · stock · bay · fork · ground

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. ground — the earth
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fine — high quality
  9. face — to confront
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. march — the month
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ground — a position
  15. fine — all right
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. march — the month
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. safe — out of danger

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