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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: cap · season · file · can · stem · stick · deal · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. season — of the year
  5. deal — to handle
  6. can — a tin
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. file — a line of people
  10. cap — a lid
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. can — a tin
  13. file — a tool
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fork — in a road
  17. file — a document
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — in sport
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cap — a hat
  24. deal — an agreement

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