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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: rash · deal · fork · fan · calf · pitch · toast · craft

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — hasty
  7. fork — in a road
  8. craft — boats
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pitch — completely
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. craft — a skill
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rash — a series
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. deal — to handle
  20. toast — bread
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. fan — a supporter

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