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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: fork · present · wake · lie · calf · craft · press · deal

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wake — a trail
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. present — a gift
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. press — to push
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fork — in a road
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. craft — boats
  17. present — the time now
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. press — a publisher
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. press — newspapers
  24. present — there

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