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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. net — in sport
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bark — to shout
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. craft — boats
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fork — in a road
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bowl — a dish

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