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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: mate · craft · deal · tube · firm · cap · fork · branch

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. tube — a container
  4. craft — boats
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cap — a lid
  9. firm — a company
  10. mate — a friend
  11. branch — a division
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. firm — decided
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mate — to breed
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. firm — steady
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. branch — of a bank

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