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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. suit — clothes
  3. can — to be able to
  4. suit — to fit
  5. craft — a skill
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. firm — steady
  12. suit — in cards
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. firm — decided
  15. kick — in football
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — boats
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. firm — a company
  24. kick — a thrill

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