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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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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: kid · date · craft · saw · suit · perch · fork · fine

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — a skill
  9. kid — to tease
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. perch — the fish
  13. kid — child
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. craft — boats
  17. saw — the tool
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fine — all right
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. suit — in cards
  23. date — the fruit
  24. fine — high quality

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