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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · ball · firm · bay · cell · fork

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. firm — a company
  6. ball — a dance
  7. firm — decided
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cell — a phone

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