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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: degree · safe · fork · saw · stand · nail · plane · march

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. degree — an amount
  7. saw — the tool
  8. march — the month
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. degree — from a university
  15. march — the month
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. degree — temperature
  20. saw — the tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. fork — in a road
  24. march — music

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