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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
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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: craft · safe · branch · fork · ground · bore · lie · saw

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bore — to tire
  5. saw — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. ground — a position
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. craft — a skill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. branch — a division
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lie — to recline
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bore — to drill
  21. craft — boats
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lie — an untruth

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