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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · saw · game · arm · craft · cabinet · fork · shower

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mark — a grade
  6. game — a match
  7. shower — rain
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mark — a trace
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. saw — the tool
  20. game — wild animals
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. craft — boats
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fork — in a road

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