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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 120 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: deal · present · bay · craft · fork · lash · fine · row

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — a line
  3. fine — all right
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fork — in a road
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. present — there
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fine — high quality
  18. present — a gift
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. present — the time now
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. craft — boats
  24. lash — an eyelash

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