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

Word bank: deal · craft · kick · march · fork · fine

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. march — music
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. march — the month
  7. fine — all right
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fine — high quality
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. march — the month
  15. deal — to handle
  16. kick — in football
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill

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