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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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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: fine · pound · kid · lean · court · bear · craft · fork

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. court — of a king
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. fine — all right
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. kid — child
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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