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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 · date · fan · hide · craft · bear · fork · nail

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. date — the fruit
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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