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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. fork — in a road
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. board — a committee
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. content — happy
  8. net — after costs
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. content — the amount
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. craft — boats
  20. net — in sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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