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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: roll · plane · rock · safe · pop · leaves · content · fork

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pop — to visit
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rock — music
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — the amount
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. content — happy
  15. fork — in a road
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pop — music
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pop — soda
  20. rock — a stone
  21. roll — a cake
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. roll — a list
  24. leaves — lets stay

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