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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 · chair · toast · wave · craft · bear · fine · date

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. craft — boats
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. toast — bread
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. date — the fruit
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fine — high quality
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. fine — all right
  24. chair — a leader

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