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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 120 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: deal · coach · mark · foot · lean · stick · fork · sharp

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. deal — to handle
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. foot — a measure
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. sharp — clever
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. fork — in a road
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. coach — a trainer

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