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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: fork · mark · rush · racket · foot · bass · fine · safe

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fork — in a road
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bass — the fish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bass — low music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rush — hurry
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mark — a grade

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