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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · craft · fork · foot · track · plane · march · wave

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. craft — boats
  4. fork — in a road
  5. march — the month
  6. track — a song
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. plane — a tool
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. march — music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. march — the month

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