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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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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: bulb · safe · fork · rest · bear · foot · mark · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. last — to go on
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mark — a trace
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bear — the animal
  12. last — final
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. foot — a measure
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. last — finally
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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