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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. suit — to fit
  8. row — a line
  9. ball — a great time
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. suit — clothes
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — low music
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bass — the fish
  17. row — to paddle
  18. suit — in cards

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