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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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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: bank · plane · content · nail · mark · fork · leaves · safe

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — for money
  12. content — happy
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bank — for money
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. content — the amount
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bank — of a river
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fork — in a road

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