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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: fork · coach · pit · craft · safe · arm · wound · spring

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pit — a hole
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spring — of water
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pit — in a race
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. spring — the season
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. spring — a coil
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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