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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.

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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: wind · safe · rock · racket · chest · fork · stick · trunk

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — music
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chest — a box
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. chest — of your body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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