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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 120 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: tube · wave · prune · fork · safe · ruler · stock · plane

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. plane — a tool
  4. tube — the underground
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. tube — a container
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stock — shares
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ruler — for measuring

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