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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: straw · fork · season · bound · safe · craft · lean · pitcher

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bound — certain
  3. craft — boats
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. season — of the year
  11. bound — tied together
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bound — obliged
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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