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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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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: foot · fork · land · spell · craft · rash · deal · bowl

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. spell — a short time
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fork — in a road
  5. land — a country
  6. spell — letters
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. spell — magic
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. land — to come down
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. craft — boats
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rash — a series
  23. deal — to handle
  24. land — ground

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