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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · straw · shower · fork · suit · mine · plane · temple

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mine — for digging
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fork — in a road
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — in cards
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. shower — to wash
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. shower — rain
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. plane — a tool
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. suit — to fit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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