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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. band — a ring
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fine — high quality
  12. plane — a tool
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. band — a music group
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. can — to be able to
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. craft — a handicraft

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