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

Word bank: bank · calf · fall · tube · craft · fork · safe · bay

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — in a road
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bank — for money
  9. craft — a skill
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fall — to drop
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fall — the season
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bank — of a river
  19. craft — boats
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bank — for money

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