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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 116 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: field · cabinet · craft · mark · fine · bay · wind · fork

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. field — farmland
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. field — for sport
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. field — a subject
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. craft — boats
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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