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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: fork · mine · mate · sharp · safe · wave · degree · leaves

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mate — to breed
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — an amount
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mine — for digging
  17. degree — from a university
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wave — of the sea

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