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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: safe · fork · bound · swing · craft · track · straw · fan

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. bound — obliged
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. track — to keep track
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bound — certain
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. track — a path
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. swing — in 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