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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: stick · ball · ground · craft · kick · temple · fork · lean

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. lean — to bend
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. fork — in a road
  8. craft — boats
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lean — thin
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. ball — a great time
  24. temple — a place of worship

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