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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: jam · craft · land · squash · firm · deal · fork · rock

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rock — music
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. land — to come down
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. land — ground
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. craft — boats
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. land — a country
  17. craft — a skill
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. deal — to handle

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