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

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. perch — the fish
  3. root — the cause
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. board — to get on
  9. root — of a word
  10. board — a committee
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — of a plant
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ball — a round shape

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