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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: foot · fork · safe · root · fan · object · roll · mate

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — a cake
  7. root — the cause
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. foot — a measure
  10. root — of a word
  11. mate — a partner
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mate — to breed
  16. fork — in a road
  17. object — an aim
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. root — of a plant
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. foot — the bottom

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