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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — to rob
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. firm — a company
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mug — a cup
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fork — in a road
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. calf — of the leg

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