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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: plane · spell · branch · jam · safe · content · fork · rest

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. spell — a short time
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. spell — magic
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rest — what's left
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rest — a break
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. content — happy
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. spell — letters
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. branch — a division
  23. content — the amount
  24. jam — a tight spot

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