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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fork — in a road
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fine — all right
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. craft — a skill
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fine — high quality
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. craft — boats
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stand — on your feet

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