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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: fork · craft · stem · pitcher · sharp · deal · bulb · file

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. file — a tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bulb — for light
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. file — a document
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stem — to come from
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. craft — boats
  23. fork — in a road
  24. stem — of a plant

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