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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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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. firm — decided
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — a company
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. press — a publisher
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. press — newspapers
  18. deal — to handle
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — steady
  21. press — to push
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. craft — boats

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