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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: spring · safe · craft · cue · arm · lie · trunk · fork

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — in a road
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lie — to recline
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. spring — a coil
  18. cue — for pool
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. craft — boats
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cue — a hint

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