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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: fork · saw · can · hand · present · row · land · cabinet

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. land — ground
  5. can — a tin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — to be able to
  8. saw — the tool
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. land — a country
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. land — to come down
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fork — in a road
  18. saw — the tool
  19. can — a tin
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. present — the time now

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