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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.

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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: game · safe · leaves · fork · bear · net · rest · calf

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bear — the animal
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rest — what's left
  6. net — in sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. net — after costs
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. net — for catching
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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