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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cue — for pool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cue — a hint
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. spring — of water
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cap — a hat
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bank — for money
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bank — for money
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fork — in a road
  24. foot — a measure

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