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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. court — of law
  7. can — a tin
  8. last — finally
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — to go on
  11. court — for sport
  12. can — to be able to
  13. craft — boats
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. last — final
  16. fork — in a road
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. court — of a king
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. can — a tin
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ruler — a monarch

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