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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.

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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: fork · craft · tear · safe · object · pitch · calf · bank

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. object — a thing
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bank — for money
  7. tear — from crying
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. tear — from crying
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fork — in a road
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. tear — to rip
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. calf — a young animal

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