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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: craft · stick · temple · fork · straw · prune · deal · bowl

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. craft — a skill
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. craft — boats
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. deal — to handle
  24. temple — side of the head

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