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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 120 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: rush · mark · safe · can · row · dip · game · last

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. dip — to sink
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. last — final
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. last — to go on
  7. row — a line
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rush — hurry
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. last — finally
  23. row — to paddle
  24. mark — to pay attention

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