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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rule — a law
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. branch — a division
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. saw — the tool
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stock — goods
  10. rule — government
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. stock — shares
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. craft — boats
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stock — a soup base

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