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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ground · safe · fork · key · rush · court · craft · fine

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. court — of law
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fine — all right
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. ground — a position
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fine — high quality
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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