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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · track · lean · land · craft · deal · hand · temple

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. land — to come down
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. land — a country
  4. hand — help
  5. fork — in a road
  6. lean — to bend
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. craft — boats
  10. track — to keep track
  11. land — ground
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. track — a path
  16. lean — thin
  17. hand — in cards
  18. track — a song
  19. deal — to handle
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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