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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fork — in a road
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. present — a gift
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. present — there
  15. bank — of a river
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bank — for money
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. craft — boats
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. kick — in football
  24. plane — an aircraft

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