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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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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 · wind · current · safe · prune · fan · fork · wake

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wake — a trail
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wind — moving air
  17. current — of water
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. current — electric
  20. craft — a skill
  21. current — happening now
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. craft — boats

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