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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: march · fork · can · stand · craft · safe · fan · saw

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. can — to be able to
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. march — music
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. march — the month
  13. craft — boats
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — a tin
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. stand — to bear
  18. march — the month
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. saw — the tool
  21. craft — a skill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. can — a tin
  24. fork — in a road

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