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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mate — a friend
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. craft — boats
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wake — a trail
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. craft — a skill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mate — to breed
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fork — in a road
  24. coach — a trainer

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