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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 116 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: fork · ground · craft · safe · bank · object · plane · board

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. object — an aim
  3. bank — for money
  4. board — to get on
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. ground — the earth
  11. object — a thing
  12. board — a committee
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bank — of a river
  18. object — to protest
  19. fork — in a road
  20. ground — a position
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. ground — crushed
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fork — to eat with

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