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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 120 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: fork · deal · calf · bark · object · craft

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. deal — to handle
  3. craft — a skill
  4. object — an aim
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. object — a thing
  9. bark — to shout
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. craft — boats
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. deal — a big deal

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