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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: deal · last · fan · fork · fine · mug · bark · cabinet

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fine — all right
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. last — final
  12. mug — a face
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. last — finally
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. last — to go on
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mug — to rob

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