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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. craft — boats
  4. prune — to trim
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a skill
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fork — in a road
  12. prune — to trim
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. club — for golf

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