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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
468
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: fork · branch · safe · rash · march · foot · ball · craft

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ball — a great time
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rash — hasty
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. foot — a measure
  14. march — music
  15. branch — a division
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fork — in a road
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. march — the month
  21. rash — a series
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. march — the month
  24. rash — on the skin

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