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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. craft — a skill
  3. court — for sport
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. kick — in football
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. court — of a king
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. can — a tin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. craft — boats
  19. hand — in cards
  20. court — of law
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. can — a tin
  23. kick — with a 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