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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: bay · ball · plane · safe · fork · file · present · cabinet

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fork — in a road
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ball — a dance
  7. file — a line of people
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. present — the time now
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. file — a tool
  18. present — there
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. file — a document
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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